Being a parent is one of life’s most challenging – and rewarding – responsibilities. But the parents of teenagers may have the toughest job around. Adolescence is the journey from childhood to adulthood, from relying mostly on the judgment of others to learning how to make responsible decisions independently. It can be a difficult transition for both teens and their parents, especially in a society in which young people are confronted daily with the serious risks that come with sex, violence, drugs, alcohol, smoking and school failure – risks that science and common sense tell us are often related.
Because the various risks teens face are so closely connected, so too are the solutions. It’s easy for parents of teens to believe that they’ve lost their influence over their kids once they reach adolescence. The power of peers and the media can seem overwhelming. But research and experience both make clear:
- Parents do matter in the lives of their teens.
- Teenagers need support, guidance, and caring from their parents as much as younger children do.
- Teens themselves say they want to hear from their parents about the challenges they face growing up, even if they don’t always act like it.
Reprinted with the permission of the National Runaway Switchboard.
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